When vengeance strikes in the form of a bullet out for the princess's blood, Princess Aleia VonAuclair must flee the heart of her country in order to protect the people she loves and take back the pieces of her soul she'd lost to the girl she once l...
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My head was going to explode.
That was the only thought I had as I drifted in and out of consciousness. It could've been a hammer or a power drill sawing into the back of my eyes, and I wouldn't know the difference with how excruciating each pulse shot straight down the back of my neck. It made something as simple as closing my eyes painful.
I peeled my tongue free from the roof of my mouth and forced down a swallow. It didn't do anything. My mouth and the columns of my throat scraped like sandpaper but even if I wanted to speak, I didn't dare to.
Not when the memories of the last few hours came crashing back to me like a tidal wave.
Derek slipped on a gas mask, and I physically felt my heart crawl up my throat. A white fume blasted through the air vents of the car. Panic filled my blood. Tears clouded my vision and I desperately tried to hold my breath.
Either way, I would've passed out. Holding my breath depraved me of air. Inhaling toxic fumes depraved me of life.
I chose the former.
Everything went black.
My eyelids unstuck from one another, and I attempted to peek my eyes open. I immediately regretted it and slammed it back shut. Glaring white lights beat down from the ceiling. They burned the back of my eyes and the pounding in my head intensified to limits I thought I might die from.
At least, if he didn't kill me first.
My hands instinctively lifted to soothe the ache, but they couldn't move an inch. Rope burns rubbed away at my wrists and ankles until they were raw and sensitive. I faintly thought my hands were on fire.
A soft groan escaped my throat, but I swallowed it at the sound of a rough boot.
"Ah, you're awake," he chirped. "I thought I would have to wait another hour."
His heavy footsteps sounded from my right, along with a few others behind me and to the left of me. I steeled myself and fought to ignore the pounding.
Count them, Aleia.
There were two behind me. I breathed slowly, listening for a shuffle of feet or a hoarse whisper. Three at the side. Derek moved closer. I held my breath.
None at the front.
Six in total, including him.
A resounding slap echoed through the room and my head jerked to the side. A gasp burst from my throat. I didn't need to look in a mirror to see the red handprint forming on my skin like a heinous brand.
A new kind of ache pulsed through my body, but this time, it held every ounce of anger and vengeance I could muster in my state. My limbs were limp, and my legs were mere jelly sticks, but I shot my eyes open and threw all my resentment and indignation into this one glare.
